Reviewed by Tony Cummings

LA's Dream Records have now established an annual Christmas series and this latest set offers holiday fare from some well-established acts and others who are new to me and I suspect most potential purchasers. It doesn't start well. "White Christmas" by NewSpring is no better than thousands of renditions heard each year in karaoke bars while Matthew Parker who EDM fans will tell you has created some fine club music in the past here indulges himself with a song of unremitting banality. At least Matthew has the honesty to call it "Lovely Christmas Nonsense". It's only by track three that we get to something worthy of repeat play, a slow and worshipful rendition of "Silent Night" by Columbia's revivalists Soulfire Revolution. There are more carol evergreens sung by Nightlife Worship and NHCC though by the time we get to "This Christmas With You" by Gary Kean given a cornball arrangement on a song that begins with the line "Walking through this tinseltown" I find that once more my Christmas album review duties have had a Dickensian effect on me and it's all I can do to it to suppress a "humbug!"

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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